2017’s First Dota Major Tournament

The first Dota Major tournament for 2017 is just around the corner, and it is time for us to look at the top contenders going into Valve’s first official Dota 2 tournament this year. Make sure to tune in on the 24th of April when the group stage begins. Hope you are hungry for some high quality Dota 2 action!

OG

We all know that OG has an amazing roster, but we may not give Fly as much credit as he deserves. Under his leadership the team has evolved into an explosive and unpredictable opponent. Fly has rapidly established himself as one of the most successful captains Dota has ever seen. When Miracle left the squad and joined Liquid, many thought that this would weaken OG immensely. However, Ana had shown that he is more than capable of carrying his team to victories. OG’s team-focused playstyle and drafting versatility is almost unparalleled. We would not be surprised to see them claim their fourth major title at The Kiev Major.

Verdict : Clear favourites

Team Liquid

Liquid has finally put in the practice they needed to become a powerhouse team they always threatened to be. They have gained a boost of confidence after StarSeries Season 3 LAN Finals under their belt. They may have proven themselves to some, but the team is under immense pressure to deliver a significant result at The Kiev Major. Miracle will be in the spotlight, especially if they end up playing against his former team OG. Of course, performances of KuroKy, MinD_ContRoL and the rest of the squad will be just as crucial.

Verdict : Has a good chance

EG – The NA’s hope

We never doubt Evil Geniuses when it comes to Dota Major tournaments. The International champions of 2015 have huge LAN experience and are used to deliver astounding performances at the Majors. SumaiL, arguably the best mid in the world, has been winning match ups with style, and is capable of playing vast variety of heroes. Arteezy, one of the most celebrated Dota 2 players has found his best form in this EG roster. UNiVeRsE is another TI winner, often cited as the most consistent Dota 2 player and their support duo Crit and Zai have amazing synergy. Teams latest big success is winning Dotapit Finals in January, beating OG in tough BO5.

Verdict : Outside chance

Chinese powerhouses – Newbee and Invictus Gaming

The Dota 2 professional scene would be at least twice weaker if it wasn’t for the Asian teams. With recognizable aggressive play-styles they never let their opponents rest for a moment. Invictus Gaming had to earn their spot through China qualifiers, and did that in dominant fashion. In addition, their sister team iG.Vitality also secured the spot in this Dota Major. After securing their spot, they have won DAC 2017 and shown that their form is rising before Kiev. Beating OG in the Grand Finals, this roster proves that they can beat some of the strongest teams in the scene. BurNIng has been playing exceptionally, and we expect that the team will make it to the late stages of the tournament. On the other hand, Newbee have been struggling to deliver significant performances at Dota Major tournaments since they claimed TI in 2014. However, they have won DPL season three just a week before The Kiev Major. We believe that this team still is able to deliver convincing performances, so we can say that they could make some upsets for the top contenders.

Verdict : Don’t bet on it

Groups stage of The Kiev Major is played in “The Swiss” format, starting April 24th. The Main Event starts from 27th and it will be in single elimination format. The winners of the tournament take home $1,000,000.